Indian homes begin filling with sweets on Diwali, snacks and chocolates during the five days of celebration, as gifts are exchanged and families lay out feasts for all to share. (Image Source: Pinterest)
Indian homes begin filling with sweets on Diwali, snacks and chocolates during the five days of celebration, as gifts are exchanged and families lay out feasts for all to share. Some of the most popular Indian sweets and desserts used to fill homes include laddu, chocolate packets, soan papdi, and barfi.
In a post on Instagram on October 15, Dr. Alok Chopra, a cardiologist and expert in functional medicine (MD, MBBS), enumerated some of the popular Diwali sweets and desserts that you need to avoid and gave healthy alternatives to each dish. Let's see what the doctor recommended.
Sharing the list of Indian sweets that you need to avoid and which you need to choose, Dr. Alok Chopra penned, "This Diwali, redefine indulgence. Health isn't about cutting joy it's about choosing better joy. From A2 ghee laddus to antioxidant hampers, let your celebrations reflect true abundance inside and out."
1. Market boondi laddu vs homemade besan laddu
Rather than the market-boondi laddu prepared using refined sugar, inferior oil, and artificial color (there are almost 700 g of sugar in a kg of laddu), opt for homemade besan laddus prepared using A2 ghee and organic jaggery.
2. Market-packaged soan papdi or barfi boxes vs pistachio and rose coconut bites
Each year, on Diwali, each Indian home receives at least a package of barfi or soan papdi, and both are laden with refined sugar. So the cardiologist recommends eating pistachio and rose coconut bites prepared with date purée in lieu of these Indian sweets.
3. Deep-fried namkeen versus roasted nut and seed mix
As you host visitors to your home during Diwali celebrations, you may find yourself serving them namkeen, which are fried and loaded with preservatives. So, instead, do try a mix of roasted nuts and seeds, advises the cardiologist.
4. Fancy gift hampers vs. curated wellness baskets
For gifts during Diwali, we usually tend to pick up elaborate gift hampers containing wafers, chocolates, and puffed sweets, and they are not nutritious. Thus, Dr. Chopra recommends preparing wellness baskets instead, using blueberries, avocado, dragon fruit, and dark chocolate (85%).
Also Read: Diwali on Fingertips: Woman 3D Nail Art With Real Diya Goes Viral
